jamesclavell.noblehouse-第240部分

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。〃
　Dunross　took　out　his　handkerchief　and　unashamedly　wiped　his　forehead。　Then　he　got　up　and　poured　two　brandy　and　sodas。　He　gave　her　one　and　sat　back　in　his　chair　again；　his　mind　amok；　one　moment　blank；　the　next　crammed　with　happiness；　instantly　to　be　agitated　and　hurting　with　all　the　hope　and　fear；　the　questions；　answers；　plans　and　counterplans。
　Christallbloodymighty；　he　thought；　trying　to　calm　himself。
　The　brandy　tasted　good。　The　warming　bite　was　very　good。　He　noticed　she　only　sipped　hers　then　set　it　down　and　watched　him。　When　his　brain　had　cleared　and　he　was　ready；　he　looked　at　her。　〃All　this　in　return　for　what？〃
　〃You'll　have　to　set　the　parameters　with　the　Royal　Belgium　…　that's　up　to　you。　I　don't　know　accurately　enough　your　net　cash　flow。　Interest　charges'll　be　steep；　but　worth　it　to　get　out　from　under。　You'll　have　to　put　up　your　personal　guarantee　for　every　cent。〃
　〃Christ！〃
　〃Yes。　Plus　face。〃　He　heard　her　voice　harden。　〃It'll　cost　you　face　to　be　dealing　with　the　'yellow　bastards。'　Wasn't　that　what　Lady　Joanna　called　the　First　Central　people　with　her　big　fat　sneer　and　'But　what　do　you　expect；　they're　。。。'　I　guess　she　meant　Americans。〃　He　saw　Casey's　eyes　flatten　and　his　danger　signals　came　up。　〃That's　some　old　bitch；　that　one。〃
　〃She's　not　really；〃　he　said。　〃She's　a　bit　caustic；　and　rough；　but　all　right　usually。　She　is　anti…American；　sorry　to　say；　paranoid　I　suppose。　You　see；　her　husband；　Sir　Richard；　was　killed　at　Monte　Cassino　in　Italy　by　American　bombs；　their　aircraft　mistaking　British　troops　for　Nazis。〃
　〃Oh；〃　Casey　said。　〃Oh　I　see。〃
　〃What　does　Par…Con　want？　And　what　do　you　and　Linc　Bartlett　want？〃
　She　hesitated；　then　put　Lady　Joanna　aside　for　a　moment；　concentrating　again。　〃Par…Con　wants　a　long…term　deal　with　Struan's　…　as　'Old　Friends。'　〃　He　saw　the　strange　smile。　〃I've　discovered　what　Old　Friend　means；　Chinese　style；　and　that's　what　I　want　for　Par…Con。　Old　Friend　status　as　and　from　the　moment　the　Royal　Belgium　delivers。〃
　〃Next？〃
　〃Is　that　a　yes？〃
　〃I'd　like　to　know　all　the　terms　before　I　agree　to　one。〃
　She　sipped　the　brandy。　〃Linc　wants　nothing。　He　doesn't　know　about　all　this。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　Again　Dunross　was　caught　off　balance。
　〃Linc　doesn't　know　about　the　Royal　Belgium　yet；〃　she　said；　her　voice　ordinary。　〃I　brainstormed　all　this　with　Dave　Murtagh　today。　I　don't　know　if　I'm　doing　you　much　of　a　favor　because　your　。。。　because　you'll　be　on　the　line；　you　personally。　But　it　could　get　Struan's　off　the　hook。　Then　our　deal　can　work。〃
　〃Don't　you　think　you　should　consult　with　your　fearless　leader？〃　Dunross　said；　trying　to　work　out　the　implications　of　this　unexpected　tack。
　〃I'm　executive　director　and　Struan's　is　my　deal。　It　costs　us　nothing　but　our　influence　to　get　you　out　of　your　trap　and　that's　what　influence's　for。　I　want　our　deal　to　go　through　and　I　don't　want　Gornt　the　winner。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　told　you。　You're　the　best　for　us　long…term。〃
　〃And　you；　Ciranoush？　What　do　you　want？　In　return　for　using　your　influence？〃
　Her　eyes　seemed　to　flatten　even　more　and　bee　more　hazel；　like　a　lioness's。　〃Equality。　I　want　to　be　treated　as　an　equal；　not　patronized　or　scoffed　at　as　a　woman　who's　in　business　on　the　coat　tails　of　a　man。　I　want　equality　with　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House。　And　I　want　you　to　help　me　get　my　drop　dead　money　…　apart　from　anything　to　do　with　Par…Con。〃
　〃The　second's　easy；　if　you're　prepared　to　gamble。　As　to　the　first；　I've　never　patronized　or　sloughed　you　o…　〃
　〃Gavallan　did；　and　the　others。〃
　〃。。。　off；　and　I　never　will。　As　to　the　others；　if　they　don't　treat　you　as　you　like；　then　leave　the　conference　table　and　leave　the　battleground。　Don't　force　your　presence　on　them。　I　can't　make　you　equal。　You're　not　and　you　never　will　be。　You're　a　woman　and　like　it　or　not　this's　a　man's　world。　Particularly　in　Hong　Kong。　And　while　I'm　alive　I'm　going　to　continue　to　treat　it　as　it　is　and　treat　a　woman　as　a　woman　whoever　the　hell　she　is。〃
　〃Then　screw　you！〃
　〃When？〃　He　beamed。
　Her　sudden　laugh　joined　his　and　the　tension　fled。　〃I　deserved　that；〃　she　said。　Another　laugh。　〃I　really　deserved　that。　Sorry。　Guess　I　lost　ass。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　She　explained　her　version　of　face。　He　laughed　again。　〃You　didn't。　You　gained　arse。〃
　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃So　whatever　I　do；　I　can　never　have　equality？〃
　〃Not　in　business；　not　on　masculine　terms；　not　if　you　want　to　be　of　this　world。　As　I　said；　like　it　or　not；　that's　the　way　it　is。　And　I　think　you're　wrong　to　try　to　change　it。　The　Hag　was　undisputedly　more　powerful　than　anyone　in　Asia。　And　she　got　there　as　a　woman；　not　as　a　neuter。〃
　Her　hand　reached　out　and　lifted　her　brandy　and　he　saw　the　swell　of　her　breast　against　the　light　silk　blouse。　〃How　the　hell　can　we　treat　someone　as　attractive　and　smart　as　you　as　a　non…person？　Be　fair！〃
　〃I'm　not　asking　for　fairness；　tai…pan；　just　equality。〃
　〃Be　content　you're　a　woman。〃
　〃Oh　I　am。　I　really　am。〃　Her　voice　became　bitter。　〃I　just　don't　want　to　be　classed　as　someone　whose　only　real　value　is　on　her　back。〃　She　took　a　last　sip　and　got　up。　〃So　you'll　take　it　from　here？　With　the　Royal　Belgium？　David　Murtagh's　expecting　a　call。　It's　a　long　shot；　but　it's　worth　a　try；　isn't　it？　Maybe　you　could　go　see　him；　instead　of　sending　for　him　…　face；　huh？　He'll　need　all　the　support　you　can　give　him。〃
　Dunross　had　not　got　up。　〃Please　sit　down　a　second；　if　you've　time。　There're　still　a　couple　of　things。〃
　〃Of　course。　I　didn't　want　to　take　any　more　of　your　time。〃
　〃First；　what's　the　problem　with　your　Mr。　Steigler？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　He　told　her　what　Dawson　had　related。
　〃Son　of　a　bitch！〃　she　said；　obviously　irritated。　〃I　told　him　to　get　the　papers　drawn；　that's　all。　I'll　take　care　of　him。　Lawyers　always　think　they've　the　right　to　negotiate；　'to　improve　the　deal'　is　the　way　they　put　it；　trying　to　put　you　down；　I　guess。　I've　lost　more　deals　because　of　them　than　you　can　imagine。　Seymour's　not　as　bad　as　some。　Attorneys're　the　plague　of　the　United　States。　Linc　thinks　so　too。〃
　〃What　about　Linc？〃　he　asked；　remembering　the　2　million　he　had　advanced　to　Gornt　to　attack　their　stock。　〃Is　he　going　to　be　100　percent　behind　this　new　twist？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said　after　a　pause。　〃Yes。〃
　Dunross's　mind　reached　out　for　the　missing　piece。　〃So　you'll　take　care　of　Steigler　and　everything　stands　as　before？〃
　〃You'll　have　to　work　out　title　to　the　ships　as　we　agreed　but　that　shouldn't　be　a　problem。〃
　〃No。　I　can　handle　that。〃
　〃You'll　personally　guarantee　everything？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Dunross　said　carelessly。　〃Dirk　did　all　the　time。　That's　the　tai…pan's　privilege。　Listen；　Ciranoush；　I　…　〃
　〃Will　you　call　me　Casey；　tai…pan？　Ciranoush　is　for　a　different　era。〃
　〃All　right；　Casey；　whether　this　works　or　not；　you're　an　Old　Friend　and　I　owe　you　a　thank　you　for　your　bravery；　your　personal　bravery　at　the　fire。〃
　〃I'm　not　brave。　It　must　have　been　glands。〃　She　laughed。　〃Don't　forget　we've　still　got　the　hepatitis　over　our　heads。〃
　〃Oh。　You　thought　of　that　too。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Her　eyes　were　watching　him　and　he　could　not　gauge　her。　〃I'll　help　you　with　drop　dead　money；〃　he　said。　〃How　much　do　you　need？〃
　〃2　million；　tax　free。〃
　〃Your　tax　laws　are　rigid　and　tough。　Are　you　prepared　to　stretch　laws？〃
　She　hesitated。　〃It's　the　right　of　every　red…blooded　American　to　avoid　taxes；　but　not　evade　them。〃
　〃Got　it。　So　at　your　bracket　you　might　need　4？〃
　〃My　bracket's　low；　though　my　capital's　high。〃
　〃46；000　at　the　San　Fernando　Savings　and　Loan's　not　very　much；〃　he　said；　grimly　amused　to　see　her　blanch。　〃8；700　in　your　checking　account　at　the　Los　Angeles　and　California's　not　too　much　either。〃
　〃You're　a　bastard。〃
　He　smiled。　〃I　merely　have　friends　in　high　places。　Like　you。〃　Casually　he　opened　the　trap。　〃Will　you　and　Linc　Bartlett　have　dinner　with　me　tonight？〃
　〃Linc's　busy；〃　she　said。
　〃Will　you　have　dinner　then？　Eight？　Let's　meet　in　the　lobby　of　the　Mandarin。〃　He　had　heard　the　undercurrent　and　the　giveaway　and　he　could　almost　see　her　mind　waves　churning。　So　Linc's　busy！　he　thought。　And　what　would　Linc　Bartlett　be　busy　with　in　that　tone　of　voice？　Orlanda　Ramos？　Has　to　be；　he　told　himself；　delighted　he　had　flushed　out　the　real　reason　…　the　real　why　of　her　help。　Orlanda！　Orlanda　leading　to　Linc　Bar